Limes 2013

Today, was our first day back at Limes for the term and boy was it great to be back! The loving squeals and hugs that we were met with as we walked up to the Limes structure were so darn cute and never, ever, ever get old! Upon seeing my sweet baby girl Jada I grabbed her for a hug and our conversation went something like this:

Me- "Oh I just missed you and love you so much!" 

Jada- "you love me dis big?" (holds up fingers about an inch apart) 

Me- "I love you lots bigger than that!"

Jada- "Nooooo, dis big?! (points to her shoe)

Me- "Bigger than that!"

This game went on for several minutes with it finally ending on that I loved her to the moon to which she said with a big smile "miss dat far!" And she instantly had me wrapped right around her tiny little finger all over again. The icing on the cake being when I was getting ready to go she said "Miss give me squeeze to the moon!" Love that baby!

As is usually the case with Limes, it takes a few days for word to get out that we are holding class, so the turnout today was pretty small. It's always kind of nice though because it allows us to get a little more one on one time with those that do show up! It was so fun to see each and every one of them and to hear how their Christmas and break from school was. Oh, and of course gossip with some of the older girls who were quick to ask for details about my "new husband" and who would erupt in giggles at anything I said in reference to Nick! Classic. Definitely looking forward to spending a lot more time with these kids this term!

We had a few new faces out today also which is always super fun! If you are in Grenada and looking for something to do, please come join! We meet 3-5pm Tues/Wed/Thurs we (and the kids) would love to see you!

I brought a new book to Limes today: The Hungry Little Caterpillar... it also has a matching game with what the caterpillar ate... naturally, it was a huge hit! :) 

Operation Grenada Child- Bringing Santa to Grenada

"There is a spirit in the world of generosity- 

That brings good things to all of us, whoever we may be

 So I believe in Santa Claus, for it can't be denied- That he is generosity personified.

 Yes, there is a Santa Claus for children everywhere- 

Though you may watch the chimney tops and never see him there.

People say his magic sleigh flies in the sky above- 

But you might find it anywhere you find unselfish love.

Oh, yes, he really does exist- And Santa Claus will live!

As long as hearts can realize- How good it feels to give.

So when you are feeling blue- Keep up your hopes, because...

 If there is kindness in this world- There is a Santa Claus!"

-Martha Cratchit, in "The Stingiest Man in Town" 

Childhood memories at Christmas are really hard to remember without Santa. We would write him letters asking for the newest and coolest toy, doll, tamagotchi, or whatever the must-have item of the year was that was coming out. And if our minds changed before Christmas- the panic that Santa might not know, lead to another URGENT letter being sent to clarify the new request.

But imagine, growing up, and from as young as 2-3 years old not having a Santa. Not having that excitement each Christmas morning, and not getting presents- big or small.  That's how the memories of Christmas are for many of the Children here in Grenada. When we talk to them about Christmas, there is very little mention of Santa, or presents, or anything that most of us, as children, associated with Christmas. I was actually talking to one of the "older" girls about how I was getting married at Christmastime and so I would be going home to Michigan to celebrate the holiday with my family and little brothers. She immediately asked how only my brothers were and when I told her they were just a little younger than her, she responded "that's good you are going to see them, Miss, ... Santa doesn't come here." I could have cried and honestly didn't even really know how to respond.

While the purpose of Christmas is not about gifts, how do you explain to a 9 year old that Santa and presents happen to some children throughout the world and not others? And although she didn't seem overly sad and it is a normal thing to her, it was the vast line that was drawn between her and children (like my brothers) at her age that really killed me. I hate how grown up and aware of discrepancies they are at 8,9,10 years old. And I hate that some kids get presents and some don't.

However, this year some SGU SOs- both here in Grenada and those already back in the States, have decided to make sure that Santa does indeed visit Grenada this Christmas. They have started a project called "Operation Grenada Child." The idea is a simple one. For $20 or less, you can create a shoebox that will be shipped to Grenada for a Limes child. It doesn't have to be anything super fancy, these kids get excited over simple things like pencil sharpeners! If you don't personally want to shop for the gifts, there is also the option to assist with shipping the boxes to Grenada- which is equally as helpful as the shoe-boxes themselves.

For more information, or to sign up to send a box follow THIS LINK.

Thanks for helping us put smiles on these sweet children's faces!  

And in the words of Tiny Tim... "God bless us, every one"

Long over-do for an update!

Yikes! I've been a major slacker on the blogging lately!

Honestly, that is because 4th term is the same thing just about every day. Nick continues to leave around 7:30am each day and returns somewhere between 10-midnight. It's busy. It's stressful. It's exhausting. It's all work, and no play. His next set of exams are in a couple weeks, so send him extra positive vibes as the intensity is upped (if that is even possible) over these next couple weeks :)

As for me, I've also pretty much gone into hibernation mode. My days pretty much consist of the normal house chores, wedding planning, and studying for my board exam. With my board exam right around the corner, I've sadly started to have to prioritize my time a bit differently. I still volunteer a couple days a week, but not every day. Although being with the kids is A LOT more fun and honestly a lot more hands on social working experience... this girl needs to pass the multiple choice board exam in December! Wish me luck... I will be needing it. After a year off from school, I have become the worst student ever. I'd rather watch paint dry than hammer out over this material all day. But, I am slowly getting back into a groove.

A few fun things from the past week or so:
IEA (the school's honor society) put on a dodge ball tournament 2 Friday's ago, and Nick's football team played in it. It was really fun and SO great to see them all letting loose... and not to mention relieving some stress by hurling balls at the other teams head for several hours! His team did awesome and made it all the way to the finals, but unfortunately could not pull off the championship win. Still all in all a great night! It was awesome to see Nick out there having such a good time, and to actually get to see him/spend a little time with him for the first time in several weeks!

Two of our volunteers, Miss Taylor and Miss Katie, at LIMES used to be cheerleaders, so they brushed off their cheer-leading caps and introduced the Limes kids to cheering! One day was spent making pom-poms, which was so much fun! They made them by cutting up garbage bags, which I thought was so creative! The kids absolutely loved it and were so focused and serious about making them. The next day Taylor and Katie taught them a cheer that they performed at the end of class. Talk about cuteness! All the girls (plus Jade) got so into it... these kids crack me up!

Was chatting with Jada at Limes last week and she holds my hand and says "Miss, yo hands big." I responded with something like "yep, they sure are big next to your little ones aren't they?" To which she said, "No. They aren't big next to mine. They are big to hold onto mine." You couldn't be more right Jada- girl, that is exactly why my hands are so big  :) It's little moment like those that just absolutely melt my heart and make my entire week!

Although our internet has been strugglin' really hardcore recently, I've still been able to stream all the exciting sports games :) Both Nick and I have been proudly wearing our Detroit gear and our neighbors wonder who the crazy girl is screaming at her computer for every Tigers baseball game and Lions football game. Man, Detroit sports sure like to make their fans sweat! Needless to say, took a lengthy study break yesterday to watch both the Lions and Tigers bring home victories :)

And just because they have been so beautiful, here are a few pictures of sunsets recently!

Videos are worth a thousand words

I've taken some pretty funny Limes videos this term but haven't posted them yet... so this post is dedicated to that :) I can't get enough of their little voices and know that years from now when I am missing these kids more than my heart can bear, I will be SO happy to have these to look back on.

This is just a short clip from my buddy Jade. Miss Kelsey was volunteer who was here for 2 years and although she has been gone almost a year I think, they still miss her very much! It just goes to show what an impact volunteers really can have on these sweet kids. He begged me to take this and said it was a very important message!

We made music makers in class this week and they were a huge hit! After they were all made, without any prompting they entertained themselves with their chanting and dancing for a good half hour or so. They crack me up!

The girls breaking it down before heading to the beach on beach day. Jada's signature move kills me! Please make her stop growing up! (I can't figure out how to rotate it better... boo!)

There are several more if only I could figure out how to get them off of my phone... hmm. Hope you enjoy their silliness as much as we do!

"Miss I smart!"

Over the summer  Nick's mom took us to the largest flee market I have ever seen. Tents and goodies were everywhere and the prices for things couldn't be beat. There were sundresses galore, tons of random nick-nacks, and just lots of great stuff. But I hit the goldmine in the dollar store of all tents. This tent had the most random assortment of things ever.. for a dollar or less!!  It was great!! Instantly, my mind went one place- Limes.

In a matter of minutes my arms (and Nick's) were loaded with more things than they could hold. Card games. Flashcards. Dry erase doodle/alaphabet/number boards, bouncy balls, coloring books, activity books, crayons, and 60 toothbrushes. I probably would never have moved on from that tent if it weren't for the one minor issue of needing to transport all my new found goodies back to Grenada! I was so excited to take them to Limes the first day and ever since have taken my bag of "new goodies" with me each week. It is so fun to see their eyes light up during a game of Uno and to see them practice their writing on the alphabet boards. I have also been beyond amazed at how well they have (for the most part) shared these new things with each other, sat in a circle and played cards together (with minimal arguing) and their enthusiasm to learn and show off with the flashcards. I just love it!

Cutie pants! So in love with that smile!

Bradley scheming at Uno! I love watching him smile and laugh playing this game!

Jada the silly head!

Adore them! Sassiness and all!

Miss Katie and sweet Kyle girl :) Love her representin' with the Limes shirt!

We continue to be blessed with a ton of volunteers at Limes. I can't say enough how much of difference it makes and how incredibly awesome it is. Not only that, but our new volunteers are all so great with kids, many bring teaching backgrounds to the table, and so it has been fun to have so many new ideas and bodies around! Today, one of our teachers, Miss Nicci, sat and played a game with addition/subtraction flashcards with a group of boys for almost a full hour... a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Several times during the game one would come up to me and say "Miss, I smart!" then proudly tell me the answer to the problem on the card.  It was so cute! I love seeing them not only having so much fun, but learning at the same time!

"All you need is love" (and Limes)

Limes is officially back in action! This week was our first week back holding class on Tuesdays-Thursday at 3-5pm. It's amazing how much I missed it!

"It is not enough to love children, it is necessary that they are aware that they are loved"

 - St. John Bosco.

I heard this today and I instantly thought of Limes and how true this is. To these kids hearing "I love you" is nice and for some the shocked looks on their faces when you say it shows how infrequently they hear those words, but it is also evident that more than saying that... it is our actions that have the power to speak volumes.

This does not simply have to be showering them with new toys, snacks, and fun games/activities. But also through structure, reliability, compassion, and patience. It is by those actions combined that we demonstrate to them that we truly do care about them, and that their needs and feelings are important to us. Words can be hallow, and many of these kids have learned this lesson much too well, so our actions can be more meaningful to them than a phrase. One little guy who I just love to pieces came running up to me to say goodbye one day this week. I have been bringing fun new toys and games and he was able to play with those on several occassions, but that doesn't mean the day went by without incident. The downside to new things is that no one wants to share, so this little guy and I had had several talks throughout class about sharing, listening, and following rules. Although he would end up relinquishing the toy or stop what he was doing, it was done so with a pout, and for the next several minutes I was the worst person in the world to him. However, I continued to engage him and despite it being a bit of a rocky day for him, when I went to leave I heard a shouting "Miss" and turned around to him leaping into my arms for a goodbye hug. It was so special and cute.

It is important for us to demonstrate love not only by the giving of materialistic things, although of course those things are nice, but also through our ability to look past their misbehaviors- especially on the most challenging days.

When they are acting selfish, it is important to remember what it might feel like to have very little to call our own. When they are constantly tattling or accusing others of wrong doings, it is important to remember the reasons they might be growing up with so much suspicion, distrust, and need to prove someone else wrong. When they get angry and frustrated over something seemingly small, remember what it might feel like to experience a loss of control that easily.  Amidst a thousand complaints, think about what it might be like to never be able to just be happy with how things are, and to always feel the need to find something wrong... or to rarely have your needs met and satisfied. We are all different, come from different backgrounds, living conditions, family structures, etc. and we don't know how their personal experiences have affected them, but the bottom line is the same... we all need to know we are loved!

Ohhh, children of Grenada...

how do you possibly manage to steal my heart more and more every day?!

Saturday was the LIMES beach party to kick off the term, so we met at the Limes field and walked the kids over to Grand Anse Beach. Let me just say... with 20 VOLUNTEERS this was amazingly smooth and easy. Remember back to last term when I wrote about beach day and all the craziness and worry the handful of us volunteers had steering all the kids down a main road in Grenada... well, that was far from the case this time!! There were approximately 30-35 kids and so the kid-adult ratio was amazing and that not only made the walk and time at the beach much less stressful, it made it a million times more fun for the kids and volunteers.  There was no fighting for attention because there were so many doting volunteers to spread love and silliness every child. It was seriously wonderful and made my heart so happy! Laura and Julie are the SOs who are running the Limes show this term and have done such an amazing job so far! To top off a great day at the beach they had also ordered pizza, made brownies, and had juice waiting for the kids after they were done swimming- which was obviously a huge hit. AND as if that wasn't enough each child was also given a back-to-school gift!! They each got notebooks, pencils, a pencil sharpener, and the best of  all... stickers!!!!  Great job on putting together a wonderful day for those kids Laura and Julie, you sure did spoil them silly!!!

The fun continued today as we had our first visit of the term to the Queen Elizabeth Orphanage! This is something I have not participated in as much as I would have liked to in the past, so it was really heartwarming to see the kids again for the first time in forever and it really helped me realize that I need to prioritize my time better to make sure I make it there more regularly this term.  I just love them. We also experienced an abundance of volunteers for this today as well, and actually ended up with more volunteers than kids! How amazing and unheard of is that!? The kids loved it. Everywhere they turned there was a volunteer wanting to play with them and wanting to give them undivided attention.. it was perfect!

Whether at Limes or Queen Elizabeth, these kids touch my heart in ways I never even knew possible. I don't want them to be hungry. I don't want them to suffer from illness and not have proper medication. I don't want them to turn to "thieving" or drugs, or anything bad.  I want them to get plenty of food and grow and develop into healthy teenagers and adults. I want them to get a good education and to enjoy learning. I want to teach them things. I want to play with them until they feel so secure in our relationship that they no longer crave endless attention, support, and love to a degree that is unimaginable (but yet always want to continue to provide it.) I am so thankful for this opportunity to spend time loving on them and getting to know them, and there is no doubt I am right where I need to be. Nick being in medical school here may seemed to come out of left field at first, but now there is no doubt in my mind that as much as Nick needed to be here to work toward his dream of becoming a doctor- I needed to be here too...with these kids. God always has a plan and it's amazing how things work out in ways better than we ever could have imagined :)

Reunited with our Limes Babies!!!

Yesterday a few of us went to visit several of the Limes kids at their house. Let me just say, there is nothing like their cute, excited shrieks as they saw us walking up toward their house! So excited! They were so silly! Kyla was cracking us up, showing off and being her typical sassy self, Jivvy seemed to want to give us the silent treatment at first and made us work to get some smiles out of her, and Mel-Mel was her typical lovey and thrilled to see you self. They were all just too cute for words

My heart was ready to explode with happiness as soon as I saw them and I couldn't get enough of their hugs and sassy commands to be picked up. They all sprouted up over the past several months and are so much taller!

Oh sweet Limes babies how I missed you! Can't wait for Limes to officially start up in the next couple weeks! We have several new SOs on the island, so hopefully that means more volunteers at Limes each week to play with these sweet kids!

Limes my loves :)

Yesterday was my last day at Limes until fall. Waaah! Gonna miss those kids so much!! I was hoping to go today as well, but by the time I finished errands and made some food, there was just no way it was going to happen. Not to mention I am trying to finish up everything around the house today so that I can relax tomorrow and for the most part just enjoy my last day here for a couple months.

Anyways, as always, the kids were cute and hilarious and to make it even better everyone was really well behaved... even Miguel one of our more rambunctious kids got a sticker for good behavior!! It was seriously a big day! I knew there was a chance that yesterday would be my last day, so I was just trying to take in as much cuteness as I could, and of course get some pictures of their silly faces - especially the little ones, who I feel are going to grow a ton over the next 2 months and not be so "babyish" when I see them next.  I just want them to stay little FOREVER!!! I asked Jada if she was going to get big while I was gone, and she said "nope." If only that were true. But I know they will always continue to be super cute sillies- just with extra sass and opinions on everything...

I also asked Jada if she wanted to come home with me and she said "yep" and that she was wanted to play in the snow. That would probably be hilarious. These kids know nothing other than heat and Laura, one of the other volunteers said they get super excited over the AC in her car... so I can only imagine their reaction to snow. I told her it wasn't winter so there would probably be no snow in Michigan anyways, but she was not convinced... she said to bring it back as a present. Yeah, we'll see about that Jada girl... how about a necklace instead. 

One heartbreaking but bonding moment was when Tammy was coloring with one of the girls and telling her about how her daughter was going to come and visit because she loves playing with kids. The sweet little girl looks at her and asks "does she even like playing with little black kids?" So precious and cute, but so heartbreaking that even at 8 years old they are aware of the differences and discrepancies in race.  Tammy did an excellent job explaining to her that we love all children and that we don't pay attention to skin color. While explaining this Tammy used crayons as an example pointing out that the white crayon did not match her own skin, and asked her if the black crayon was a perfect match to her own skin. The little girl said no, and this led to further discussion about the topic and how everyone looks a little different and it isn't just black and white. I thought this was a very creative and touching way to explain it and immediately following the explanation the little girl cuddled up to Tammy with a smile on her face. So sweet! How could they not melt our hearts?? Great job Tammy! It's moments like these that really warm my heart.

I will miss them sooo much over the summer, but am thankful I know I get to come back and spend another year with them. I am definitely not ready to leave for good yet, and my heart goes out to the volunteers who are at that point. The SO organization does such great things for these kids and the SO coordinators work so hard to keep it running smoothly. Sadly this semester both of our coordinators are leaving, but I know they will forever be in the hearts of these kids and we see that every day as the kids ask about old teachers who showed them so much love! 

Oh Jada girl.... I need to take her home with me I think. I just love her too much. 

Isn't he so cute? He loves to color, but not  by himself.  

So silly all the time!!! I was so happy to have a smile out of her though... now just gotta work on the eyes open... at the same time... <3 

Yay! Probably the most she's ever cooperated for a picture! She was busy telling me to bring her back lots of "tings" so she must have been trying to butter me up. It worked.  

Need to take her home as well. LOVE THIS FACE! Seriously, it does not get any more cute than this. 

She's so sweet, I can't even stand it. 

Melts my heart. Over and over and over again.  

Skippin' 

I literally laugh every time I look at this picture. What a goofball. 

My boyfriend. Add him to the list that are coming home with me. I can't get enough of him. 

I already can't wait to come back at the end of June and squeeze them!! 

Mr. Nick visits Limes

Today Nick came with me to the Limes After School Program for the first time, and I am so glad he did! He finally got a glimpse of what it is I do during the week and got to see how and why these kids were able to steal my heart so quickly.

I warned him before we left that I haven’t over exaggerated stories and that Limes really is chaotic even on the best days, but I think even still he underestimated what goes into being a volunteer at Limes.  Until you experience having 3-5 kids hanging on you at once, and the constant yelling of “Miss” “Miss” “Miss”, and have attempted to break up a fight while continuing a game with 10 + other kids- you cannot fully understand or appreciate Limes.  You can’t understand what makes it challenging, but even more so, you can’t understand what makes it so wonderful, heartwarming, and all in the same breath- heartbreaking.

My heart  melted watching Nick play with all the kids, both big and little.  There’s pretty much nothing cuter in the world than seeing your guy with a buncha kids! He embraced their craziness, and let them treat him like a human jungle gym.  And I loved every minute of it- and think he did too.

Most of the volunteers at Limes are girls, so when a boy comes along, it is so exciting for the kids.  The boys love having someone they can rough house with a little more and who they can be competitive with in sports- not that this doesn’t happen with us gals- but with guys it is just different, and in their eyes, better.  And the girls, oh the girls swoon. I don’t think we had been there 5 minutes when a group of the girls called me over and all giggly asked me “Miss who is that?” When I told him it was my boyfriend Nick- they erupted with laughter and giddy-ness. 

Going to medical school in Grenada is an experience all on it’s own with its own challenges. Walking down the street you see the poverty- you do not need to go looking for it. But I think when you are able to immerse yourself in the community and get to know the children of the community you really get to see Grenada in a whole new light. You see how their lives are so greatly affected, and poverty is no longer just a name, but it is given a face. No, it is given many faces, children’s faces- they are the faces of the kids you hug, laugh with, tickle, and play games with. It’s the faces of kids who just want attention so badly.

Nick has only come once so far, and hopefully he will come more when his schedule allows it, but I think now he can understand why these kids mean so much to me, and why they are so easy to love. I know I sure loved watching him love on these kids! 

Limes Invasion of Grand Anse Beach

Today the SOs took the Limes kids to Grand Anse Beach. Yes, today we WALKED 47 kids, ranging in age from like 2 years old to 15 years old to the beach (most of whom I should mention- can not swim.) If you are thinking to yourself that that is pure madness, then you would be correct- because it was. Kids were everywhere- swimming, shouting, laughing, and playing in the sand. There were definitely moments throughout the day when I sat in awe of all the craziness surrounding me and simply wondered "what in the world is happening right now?" But it was so worth it and so much fun! All of the kids had so much fun and that was the most important thing. To top off an already fun day after swimming all of the kids got pizza lunch which was also very exciting for them. Despite living on the island many of these kids do not get the chance to go to the beach often so it was a great and worthwhile event for the SOs to put on and I was so happy to be a part of it. Hats off to the SO organization for putting on yet another wonderful event for these kids!

In some sad news: my adored camera that has never let me down is sadly starting to not work so well =/ Fingers crossed it will survive until I get home at the end of April and I can get a new one as a birthday present to myself. I will be SO bummed if it dies before then. Luckily, I was able to get a few pictures despite it being really finicky today though so enjoy a few beach snap shots of what 47 happy campers look like on beach day! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Definitely missing everyone at home this Valentine's Day, but very happy I got to chat with my mom on Monday for her birthday and then the whole family- including my grandma and grandpa at dinner! That was so fun, gotta love Skype! Plus, my brothers told me they would love me forever- so that was very timely for Valentine's Day :) Valentine's Day in Grenada is lower key and I absolutely loved that! There weren't a million commercials or row after row of Valentine's Day gear, but rather people wished each other happy Valentine's Day and the bus played silly and cheesy love songs all day (which I absolutely loved and was amused by obviously).

This Valentine's Day thousands of miles from home and having the unique experience of being able to live in Grenada and work with the children here for a year and half really caused me to reflect on how many things I have to be truly grateful for. I am constantly surrounded by such beauty- the crashing waves and crystal clear water and the best sunsets I've ever seen. I am constantly reminded of how much I have when I walk down the street past children and adults who aren't wearing shoes, have torn and ragged clothing, and are hungry. I am reminded how blessed I am to have grown up in a loving family surrounded by so many family members giving me attention, love, and support, and how not all children get nearly enough of this every single day. And how the lack of good role models in their life really makes you wonder what will really happen to these precious little ones as they grow up, as we leave the island, and as they stop coming to the Limes program. Hopefully we can be a positive influence and nurture them and help guide them to the a good path, but for now all we have control over is the here and now. And for this Valentine's Day we were able to share the love and encourage them to make special cards for the special people in their lives.

Valentine's Day is all about love and I got lots of it from the cute kiddos at Limes yesterday. We made Valentine's Day cards, and oh my goodness were they so cute deciding who to make them for and so serious about cutting the paper and making theirs look really cool. It was such a fun day and a perfect way to spend Vday because I got SO many hugs, kisses, and Valentine's day cards from them- it was really adorable and so sweet of them.

Nick and I also had a wonderful Valentine's Day evening. I baked way too many cupcakes and cookies, and he made a delicious dinner! We enjoyed both from our kitchen table while watching the sun set and it was perfect. Afterwards, he took a break from studying for the night and we indulged in at least 3 episodes of LOST because we are addicted. It was an absolutely perfect evening with my wonderful valentine :)

I know, my cupcake decorating skills are super impressive...

Life has taught us that love does not consist in gazing at each other but in looking outward together in the same direction.

-Antoine De Saint-Exupery

We've had extra beautiful sunsets the past few nights and I've finally figured out the night mode on my camera so the pictures turned out pretty well and I didn't even need to enhance the color on these! A-m-a-z-i-n-g. Happy Valentine's Day Grenada, I love you and your breathtaking sunsets. Oh, and the rain on our tin roof late every night makes me smile in my sleep. When we move back home I might need a tin roof just to help me sleep, because adjusting to life without the ocean in my backyard is going to be tough enough! I've become so spoiled by it!

Love unlocks doors and opens windows that weren't even there before.  ~Mignon McLaughlin

Independence Day Celebration Limes Style-- With lots of Videos!

We continued the Independence Day celebration with the children at Limes today. We had so much fun! Many of the SOs made rice krispie treats in Grenadian colors which was super fun and of course the kids loved them! We played lots of games, colored Grenadian flags, and even got a performance from a few of the girls who sang us some songs! One of the songs was the Grenadian National Anthem so that was awesome and so fun! It's a little loud and hard to hear at times so I posted the words to go with it :) They also include the Grenadian pledge of allegiance afterwards! (ps- I missed the first couple words in the video).

Grenadian National Anthem/Pledge of Allegiance

Hail Grenada, land of Ours-We pledge ourselves to thee-Heads, hearts and hands in unity -To reach our destiny-Ever conscious of God-Being proud of our heritage-May we with faith and courage -Aspire, build, advance-As one people, one family- God bless our nation.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag,
and to the country for which it stands, with liberty, justice and equality for all. I pledge also to defend and uphold the Honor, Dignity, the Laws and Institutions of my country.

The little ones also sang a song for me so I'll post that too! Don't you just love their little voices? I think they were still hopped up on sugar from Independence Day yesterday because they had SO much energy today and were extra silly! 

Justin Bieber "Baby, Baby" Grenadian Style! In my opinion it's better than the original ;) ! Love them! 

Another fun and successful day at Limes. These kids never fail to make me smile and make my heart very happy <3 

Sidenote/TIG(this is Grenada) moment of the day-- Today, I was getting ready to cook something so as usual I opened the oven, lit it, and was preparing to close it to give it a couple minutes to warm up. Normal and logical course of action right? Well, this is Grenada after all and there is no such thing as a dull moment, so instead of closing the oven and continuing on with my day, I just about had the oven closed and BOOM- big explosion and tons of flames shoot out of the bottom of the oven!! I've never seen such a thing- the flames probably came out about 2 feet or maybe a little more from the bottom of the oven. (No worries, I wasn't injured.) After turning off the oven and peeking inside to make sure there wasn't a fire inside it or something, I inspected my feet and legs and I have a few semi-sore/tiny blistered toes, but otherwise I just dusted off burnt hairs from my feet and legs.... that's one way to avoid needing to shave eh? Oh, and it was a good excuse not to cook and just get a chicken wrap on campus. Tomorrow, I will further investigate the situation. TIG. 

Time flies when you are havin' fun!

Hard to believe we have already been here one month! Well, I guess I should say I have officially been here 1 month! Time has passed surprisingly quickly and I stay much more busy than I expected. Nick's school schedule is really picking up, and he has had been really busy with Surgery club and Emergency medicine club lately as well. In addition, he is considering getting involved in research at SGU and is looking into a selective in Kenya at the end of the semester. I think he should take on a few more things don't you? He's such a go-getter, and I am very proud! Kenya would be a really unique and exciting opportunity and definitely be a resume builder, so I'll definitely keep ya'll posted on whether he decides to do that or not! Oh, and I don't think I mentioned before that he did great on his first 2 finals with A's in both classes! Great start to Term 2 :)

As for me, my heart continues to be stolen by the children at Limes every week. It really makes me happy that I went into social work, because this experience has opened my eyes even more to the toll poverty can have a children and their families and how much need there is in the world. It's so rewarding knowing that I went to school for 5.5 years for something I really am truly passionate about. Speaking of which, I am also (somewhat) studying for my licensing exam.  I am hoping to take it in May. In all honesty, I really need to put a little more effort into studying though. Oops. I've also been babysitting a few times a week, which has brought in a little bit of spending money. Oliver is full of energy so it doubles as an excellent workout for me as well! Yesterday, I raced him up and down the street with him on his bike and me riding one of those little scooter things. Needless to say, I haven't beaten him yet, and I'm always huffing and puffing by the time I cross the finish line, just to be asked in his innocent little voice, "Why aren't you trying to win?" Sigh. So, we ran into Nick in front of our house about to go for a jog, and so I recruited him to race Oliver instead ;) Oliver loved it and Nick got to do hardcore sprints instead of going for a jog... that sounds like a win all around to me! 

So I'll leave you with a few pictures because what's a blog post without pictures right? Many of the Limes pictures below were taken by other SOs :) Such beautiful moments with wonderful volunteers and precious children! 

We had a BBQ at our house and took a walk to the peak to watch the sunset! 

The Friday tradition of cliff jumping has continued every week so far this term :) This week we jumped during this absolutely beautiful sunset. Grenada continues to amaze me <3

Oh, and purchased my plane ticket home yesterday!! I will officially be home for 2 months at the end of April! Looking forward to spending quality time with family and friends for sure :)